Alternative systems aim to reduce inputs, maintain profits

The economic component of the Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems (SAFS) project at UC Davis compared the financial performance of low-input and organic farming systems to conventional systems. All of the systems have been profitable over the first 4 years of the project. However, nei- ther the organic nor lo w-input systems have been able to show equivalent profits to either of the conventional systems on a whole farm basis without organic price premiums.